In March, we told you about the water problems in Progresso as villagers had to survive without water for weeks after the water pump burnt out and neither government, nor BWSL, were prepared or able to pay money to fix it. It was eventually fixed, but now Progresso is in need of another fix and this time it isn't a burnt out pump that's chafing residents, the problem is much bigger. By decree, the entire water management system is changing; as the village leaders in concert with the Ministry of Local Government have decided to switch from a flat rate system to a metered system and that's got residents up in arms. A large percentage of the villagers have outrightly rejected the meter plan. As a symbol of their protest, they've put up yellow flags on their homes. Tonight, the village is still divided and our Orange Walk affiliates at the Northern Cable Network found out how much defiance the yellow flags represent.
Villager #1,
"If you look around the village you see yellow flags and this little flag right here, all people who have one of these flags are showing their solidarity with no meter. I would invite people from around the country to come and visit Progresso and to come and see how many people throughout the village are displaying these little flags."
Villager #2,
"There are people who were not at home at that time and they came and any person, whoever was in the house, they told to sign the application and then they placed the meter right there. We have an incident with Ms. Sedacy who was not home, she went to a meeting, and when she came there was a meter and nobody signed for it."
Villager #3,
"We made 190 yellow flags and we went from house to house giving it to people and according to the Chairlady of the Water Board they are only 189 paying customers which means if we gave out 190 flags we have covered almost everybody. So you will see that even the houses where they are metered install, they will have a yellow flag which simply means that they do not accept the meters but then they were told you either put the meter or get cut. I for one, when I reached home, my water was cut. Why? I went Saturday to pay my bill and when I reached home they had dug one side looking for a pipe, I was in school, and when I came back from school yesterday there was no water, they cut it out. They didn't ask me who want water, they just came and cut my water without telling me anything. People are totally against the meters, they don't want the meters because they can't afford it. If they accept the meters they won't be able to pay. Right now we pay $10 and with the meters I think we'll pay an average of $30 and people won't be able to afford it because we are a poor community."
We'll have more on that still developing story in tomorrow night's newscast.
